Product Shape as a Design Innovation Strategy
274
J PROD INNOVMANAG 1987:4:274-283
OOOO
Product Shape as a Design Innovation Strategy
Marvin Berkowitz
Product design has become an effective competitive tool in the hands of a number of companies. Marvin Berkowitz discusses the impact of design variations on a proven winner in the marketplace. This article discusses the use of product shape as an element of innovation strategy in food processing. Can this particular design dimension be used to achieve differentiation from competitive products? The article explores how one company is attempting to capitalize on consumer trends for fitness and nutrition by designing its products with natural looking shapes. The research more generally probes how easy to spot design cues, like shape, are used by consumers to infer more important, but less readily accessible attributes like taste, softness, comfort and speed. Good design not only adds sales appeal, but encourages trading up, provides a basis for market segmentation, and for building a larger line from the same engineering investment.
Address correspondence to Marvin Berkowitz, Associate Professor of the School of Business, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT 06430. © 1987 Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc. 52 Vanderbilt Ave., New York, NY 10017
Good industrial design is frequently good business [28]. James [24], views design as a defense strategy to protect consumer franchise. He points out that Braun, a West German consumer electronics producer, and Zenith, a Swiss watch manufacturer, have captured valuable market segments by attracting customers through their innovative designs: these designs are of such recognized high standards that the products are on permanent display at New York's Museum of Modern Art. In aggressive price markets, design variants of size, color, shape, packaging, features and accessories are a basic means for creation of the differential advantage which sells new products and enables firms to cope with demographic,
J PROD INNOVMANAG 1987:4:274-283
OOOO
Product Shape as a Design Innovation Strategy
Marvin Berkowitz
Product design has become an effective competitive tool in the hands of a number of companies. Marvin Berkowitz discusses the impact of design variations on a proven winner in the marketplace. This article discusses the use of product shape as an element of innovation strategy in food processing. Can this particular design dimension be used to achieve differentiation from competitive products? The article explores how one company is attempting to capitalize on consumer trends for fitness and nutrition by designing its products with natural looking shapes. The research more generally probes how easy to spot design cues, like shape, are used by consumers to infer more important, but less readily accessible attributes like taste, softness, comfort and speed. Good design not only adds sales appeal, but encourages trading up, provides a basis for market segmentation, and for building a larger line from the same engineering investment.
Address correspondence to Marvin Berkowitz, Associate Professor of the School of Business, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT 06430. © 1987 Elsevier Science Publishing Co., Inc. 52 Vanderbilt Ave., New York, NY 10017
Good industrial design is frequently good business [28]. James [24], views design as a defense strategy to protect consumer franchise. He points out that Braun, a West German consumer electronics producer, and Zenith, a Swiss watch manufacturer, have captured valuable market segments by attracting customers through their innovative designs: these designs are of such recognized high standards that the products are on permanent display at New York's Museum of Modern Art. In aggressive price markets, design variants of size, color, shape, packaging, features and accessories are a basic means for creation of the differential advantage which sells new products and enables firms to cope with demographic,